Flynn aiming to improve, not looking ahead

Next season, Matt Flynn could be one of the hottest quarterbacks on the market. An impressive cameo appearance against the New England Patriots skyrocketed his value. The Packers could certainly get some value for the backup before he’s a free agent if they so choose.

“I need to show that I’m continuing to grow as a quarterback, that I’m improving and playing better than I did the last preseason and playing better than I did against New England last year,” Flynn said. “I’m looking to show that I’m not just staying the same.”

In three seasons, Flynn has made substantial strides. As a rookie, the seventh-rounder KO’d second-round pick Brian Brohm in training camp for the backup job. And when Aaron Rodgers suffered a late-season concussion at Detroit a year ago, Flynn didn’t disappoint. In New England, he completed 24 of 37 passes for 251 yards with three touchdowns and one interception. Like Rodgers, he has benefited greatly from Mike McCarthy's quarterbacks school.

In a league where team’s are trigger happy to overpay on potential for quarterbacks — i.e. the Arizona Cardinals and Kevin Kolb — Flynn could be prime trade bait for general manager Ted Thompson. It makes plenty of sense to get value for Flynn now before he departs to be a starter somewhere.

Flynn says he’s not viewing this preseason as an audition for another team but make no mistake. His goal is to be a starter at some point.

“I’m a very confident player. I always have been ever since I started playing the game. My eventual goal is to be a starter. Right now I’m just trying to soak everything in from Aaron and all the coaches and try to pick up as much as I can.”

About Tyler Dunne

Tyler Dunne covers the Green Bay Packers. He has been on the beat since 2011, winning awards with the Pro Football Writers of America and Milwaukee Press Club.